AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘I’m fine but thank you both. I promise I’ll come back and get some food if I can after I find out why Matron wants me.’ Fixing a smile in place and touched anew by how caring the men were, she put back her shoulders and headed off to the hospital.
But the memory of Jimmy’s gaze flickering down her body—to her waist, she felt sure—sent unease niggling through her mind as she catalogued her illness this morning. Was she—could she possibly be—pregnant?
The idea jumped fully formed into her mind. She stopped abruptly; hands pressed against her stomach. She and Seamus hadn’t used any form of protection when they’d made love. They hadn’t even talked about the possibility of a baby resulting from their love. A baby!
She couldn’t. Being engaged to be married wouldn’t satisfy the neighbours back home. No sex before the ‘I do’s’ had been exchanged, no matter that young men were heading off to fight—and some to die—for King and Country. How long would it be before Seamus got leave? Would he return in time for them to be married before their baby was born?
She pulled herself up short. I don’t even know if I am pregnant.
But throwing up before breakfast wasn’t like her. She swallowed her fears, drew a deep breath, and covered the last few yards into the hospital ward.
‘Sister Dorset, I’ve received word that you’re to be transferred to a hospital in Townsville.’
Meg’s heart leapt. Seamus was in Townsville. When she got there, she could find out for sure if she carried his child, and perhaps they could be wed before he went overseas. ‘When do I leave?’
‘On the next truck heading south. I’ll be sorry to lose you, Meg, especially the way the River is expanding. You’re a good nurse, but Townsville might get heavy casualties soon and they’ll need nurses with combat wound experience. I’ve put your name forward for immediate advanced training in theatre. From what your patients out of Darwin said, and what I’ve seen of you here, you don’t lose your head in tough situations.’
‘Thank you, Matron. I appreciate your faith in me, and the opportunity to increase my skills.’
‘Have you eaten? You look peaky.’
Meg shook her head. She was unwilling to mention her throwing up to Matron. ‘I got a letter from my fiancé this morning and was too excited reading it to eat.’
‘Go and eat now. I’ll see you in twenty minutes, and Sister—’
‘Yes, Matron?’
‘Food first, every day. If you collapse, how will you nurse your patients?’
‘Understood, Matron. It won’t happen again.’
Hopeful that she was wrong or would find a way to overcome her morning sickness if she was pregnant, Meg hightailed it back to the mess tent. Jimmy and Cookie were in a huddle beside the army-sized teapot, but, when Jimmy spotted her, he said something to Cookie before carrying a mug of steaming tea to her.
‘Please don’t take this the wrong way, and my apologies if I’ve got the wrong end of the stick, Sister, but I heard you throwing up, and then when Cookie said you weren’t eating breakfast—well—it’s not like you. My sister used to drink ginger tea when her stomach was upset. Said it worked a treat for her, and I thought you might like to try some.’
‘That’s very kind of you, Jimmy. Thank you.’ She lifted the mug and sniffed the pale brew. Pieces of chopped ginger floated in the water, but her stomach didn’t flip at the aroma. It smelled enticing. ‘Did your sister suffer often with an upset tummy?’
Jimmy’s cheeks turned beetroot-red, and he dropped his gaze. ‘Only when she was in the family way, Sister.’ He looked up and met her gaze. ‘I don’t mean to suggest you are too—in the family way, I mean—but I thought, if it helped Doris then, it might help your upset stomach now.’
Meg froze. How could Jimmy know? Did Jimmy know what she had only begun to suspect?
‘I’m sure my upset stomach will be fine soon, but thanks, Jimmy.’
‘My pleasure, Sister.’ His smile was quick and then he was gone.
Meg blew over the top of the brew, sending a stream of steam into the day then sipped. Delicious. However it worked, the important thing was that she felt better as she drank, and when Cookie brought over a couple of slices of toast with a thin scraping of Vegemite, she felt confident of getting through the day.
‘You’re not to leave until you’ve finished what’s on your plate, Sister.’ He folded his arms across his chest, and she knew he wasn’t going to budge unless she began eating.
‘Thanks, Cookie.’ With Cookie hovering like a mother hen, she bit into the toast, chewed and swallowed. ‘I feel better already. And I promise I won’t skip a meal tomorrow.’ She took another bite and gave an exaggerated ‘Yummy!’
Cookie unfolded his brawny arms and nodded. ‘Better. And so you know, I’ve got plenty of fresh ginger to make you more tea—’ He looked a little uncomfortable. ‘If you need it. Jimmy found a clump of ginger not far from camp.’
‘Good to know.’ Had Jimmy guessed her condition and shared it with Cookie? Unable to meet Cookie’s eye, Meg kept her head down and focused on eating every bite of toast. She finished her ginger tea and felt more settled in herself, but only marginally less embarrassed. Good girls didn’t make love with men before they married them. Good girls didn’t fall pregnant out of wedlock. Had her love for Seamus turned her into—a bad girl?
By the time she’d washed her mug and plate, she was no nearer finding an answer and had to hustle to make it into the ward for the start of her shift.
##
